Me and I
by Crystal-Nimrodel
Summary: We all know the Twins are in the employment of a mad frenchman. But what they do in the service of this mad frenchman, is kept completely secret...FINISHED
1. The End

Disclaimer ~ I am only going to say this once. I do not own the Twins or the Matrix.  
  
Chapter 1 ~ The End  
  
'What were you saying?'  
  
'I am saying, dear brother that we cannot linger here.' replied One.  
  
Two let his hand fall from behind the woman's head. Her pale green eyes were widened in terror and her face pale as the whitest chalk.  
  
'Such a pity' purred Two as he ran an elegant finger down the woman's cheek 'I would have liked to make my mark on this one'  
  
He snapped the blade shut, withdrew it from her neck and slipped it back inside his pocket.  
  
'Hurry up!' hissed One. 'I have told you we cannot ling-'  
  
'Alright, alright. I'm coming.'  
  
Two stood up to his full height and gazed down upon the woman, cowering on the floor below.  
  
'See you around then' he sniggered down at her as she drew back beneath his hidden stare.  
  
'Come on!' One grabbed his twin's arm and pulled him away from the scene. They exited the building in sync, leaving behind only flames, rubble and death.  
  
************************************************************** 


	2. The Beginning

Chapter 2 ~ The Beginning  
  
'What did you say the Merovingian wanted with us?' asked Two as the pair walked briskly down the corridor.  
  
'He simply said that he did not want a woman called Estelle Croft to survive the night.' replied One  
  
'Excellent' whispered Two. 'I could do with a little brawl, couldn't you? I mean, cooped up in here day after day isn't exactly what you would call fun, is it?'  
  
'I could not agree more' replied One. 'Have you ever heard of an Estelle Croft?'  
  
'You know now you mention it, the name does ring a bell somewhere' said Two.  
  
'Well, it rarely makes no matter. After tonight, no one will get the chance to know her' laughed One.  
  
'I wouldn't mention her in there though.' Said Two, warningly to his twin, 'I don't think I was meant to overhear that particular conversation between the Merovingian and Persephone.'  
  
'I won't' said One reassuringly.  
  
They continued down the corridor until they reached the office at the end of the hall. Two raised his hand to knock at the door but stopped short and pressed his ear to the door. One followed in suit and his eyes widened in surprise. The Merovingian could be heard inside the room, whispering strange things to someone.  
  
'What do you think' whispered Two 'Persephone?'  
  
'No' replied One 'He would not talk to her like that.'  
  
They pressed their ears still harder onto the door, trying to catch every word. .  
  
'You are so beautiful mon cherie. Zis is what you like best is it not? Zat's right, come on now, right over here. . . '  
  
Two's eyebrows shot so high they almost disappeared under his hair. One was clutching his sides for support, doubled up with silent laughter. Two nudged him hard in the ribs. One shut up at once and gave Two a look of deep disgust and pain. Two raised a finger to his mouth and pointed at the door. One appeared to understand what he meant. He nodded and Two held up his hand and counted down.  
  
Three. . . . .  
  
Two. . . . . .  
  
One. . . . . .  
  
They phased through the door and gaped at the scene before them. The Merovingian was bent over a large tank and was talking to it. He looked up as the Twins entered and grinned, gesturing at the tank.  
  
'Goldfish keeping.' He said simply 'Zey zay it broadens the mind.'  
  
One chanced a glance at his twin who had rapidly turning light pink with embarrassment.  
  
The Merovingian carried on speaking as he wandered over to his desk. 'I have not quite mastered ze art of calling them to me but zey are quick learners. You zee, it is work in progress. I have tried tempting them with zer favourite food, but it is not succeeding as of yet.'  
  
'Please' he told the Twins. 'Sit.'  
  
The Twins sat.  
  
'So I expect you are wondering why I have summoned you here. Am I correct in saying zis?'  
  
The Twins nodded.  
  
'Well. I can assure both of you, zat you shall not be disappointed with your next assignment. I 'ave a certain, shall we say, problem zat I need sorting out. So. I 'ave chosen you two to carry out zis for me.' He pointed at the Twins in turn with a biro and folded his arms as though waiting for something to happen.  
  
Two cleared his throat and continued. 'What is this problem that you need us to "sort out"' he asked.  
  
'Ah!' replied the Merovingian 'Zat is ze most interesting bit of ze mission. Zere is a woman named Estelle Croft. I need you two to eliminate 'er'  
  
'When?' questioned One.  
  
'She is to go shopping in ze Diamond Centre at approximately three pm today. She will most likely go to zeveral different shops so you need to search everywhere. If, by the time you return, she is not dead. Well, you know what will 'appen.'  
  
The Twins stood up, nodded to the Merovingian, turned and walked out of the office.  
  
A/N~ Please review, Flames will be used to heat my flat when the air conditioning is broken. 


	3. A little less conversation, a little mor...

Chapter 3 ~ "A little less conversation, a little more action please!"  
  
'You know, you would think that working for a Frenchman, specifically a mad Frenchman, would merit some sort of reward wouldn't you' moaned Two as they walked outside into the forecourt where their car was parked.  
  
'Quit complaining' snapped One 'That's all you seem to do this days. It's "moan, whinge, moan, whinge" all the time!'  
  
'Well I can't help it if I'm a bit, eccentric' replied Two as they approached the car 'I mean, look at this. You'd have thought we'd at least get a company car, but oh no, not with the Merovingian. Instead we get this pile of rusty junk!'  
  
'Excuse me? This "pile of rusty junk" just happens to be a Porsche. So before you start on it. . .' said One in outrage.  
  
'Alright, alright I get the picture.' sighed Two 'Can we go now?'  
  
They clambered into the car and One started up the engine.  
  
'And that's another thing' said Two  
  
One turned off the engine, leaned back in his seat with his arms behind his head and said to Two,  
  
'We aren't going anywhere until you've emptied yourself of all your whines and moans. Do tell me when you've finished though; I'd like to get this mission underway.'  
  
'Well, you always get to drive the car. Am I not trusted or something? It's not even like you're older than me.'  
  
'In case you haven't noticed' said One calmly as he stared up at the roof of the car 'I get the hard job. You can just sit back in your seat and do anything you want.'  
  
'HA! Look who's moaning now.' Grinned Two.  
  
'I am not moaning' snarled One.  
  
'Yes you are'  
  
'No I'm not'  
  
'You are'  
  
'I'm not'  
  
'Are too'  
  
'We could go on having this conversation for the rest of our lives' sighed One 'So please try to understand before one of us dies!'  
  
'OK, I'm fine now. Can you er. . . . start the engine now? Please?'  
  
'I'm glad to hear it' said One. He started up the engine and reversed out of the parking space.  
  
'Watch out Estelle Croft 'cause' started Two  
  
'The Twins are back in town!' finished One. 


	4. An Eye for an Eye

Chapter 4 ~ An Eye for an Eye.  
  
"Oh, Why?" grumbled Two  
  
"What is it now?" sighed One.  
  
Two stuck his head out of the open window causing a small child in the car next to them to shriek with fright.  
  
"Have you seen the length of this traffic jam?" groaned Two  
  
"I am not blind." replied One, slightly irritated.  
  
"Why can't we just phase?"  
  
"You know why." Said One. "You heard the Merovingian." He put on a French accent and continued "Be subtle, I want zis mission to go perfectly."  
  
"It's alright for him, sitting up in that office all day, drinking liquor and cavorting with goodness knows how many girls"  
  
"I thought you said you thought you were 'cooped up' in that office" said One  
  
"Yes, but I didn't say I didn't envy the Merovingian's lifestyle, did I?"  
  
"And so, the mask comes off" muttered One poetically.  
  
"Oh, look, we're on the move again" said Two hastily.  
  
"Wonderful" said One, dully  
  
"Oh, come on, we haven't killed anyone for weeks. You can't say you don't miss the action"  
  
"It's not that, it's just. . . "  
  
"Yes?" inquired Two curiously  
  
"Nothing"  
  
One's expression became rather rigid and he sat stiff on his seat. Two gazed at him for a few seconds, then after deciding that One obviously wasn't going to tell him anymore, he leaned back in his seat and helped himself to a toffee from the glove compartment in front.  
  
Hours later they pulled up in a parking space outside a busy looking shopping mall. Large white letters above the entrance read "The Diamond Centre" and massive crowds of people were milling around outside where a spokesperson was shouting through a microphone.  
  
"What on earth. . . .?" The Twins looked at the crowds, then back to each other and exchanged identical evil smirks.  
  
"That means. . . " They strode forwards into the entrance.  
  
"Ah!" said Two rubbing his hands together and grinning a manic grin "Perfect, this makes our job a whole lot easier"  
  
"There's barely anyone about" smirked One " Course it spoils the action a bit, but if we get the job done, what else matters!"  
  
"Couldn't have put it better myself" said Two as they reached the escalator "Brothers first"  
  
"Why thank you" replied One a little smugly.  
  
"These things are so slow" moaned Two, halfway up the escalator  
  
"Quit whining, but now you mention it" grinned One "There's no one around so why don't we just. . ."  
  
"Hey! You two!" The Twins turned around to see a portly looking security guard standing at the bottom of the escalator, hands on hips.  
  
"What?" the Twins replied as they got off at the top.  
  
"Don't you know we're closing in ten minutes?" the guard said.  
  
"Yes, but we're looking for our friend who was supposed to be meeting us and she hasn't turned up yet" replied Two, on a whim.  
  
"Are you sure she's still in here?" the guard asked a little suspiciously  
  
"Oh yes. We just phoned her and she said that she's still in here waiting for us" continued One.  
  
"But I thought you said you were looking for her. How can you be looking for her if you already know where she is?" The guard by this time was getting quite irritated by the pair and started to walk up the stairs next to the escalator.  
  
"We're not familiar with this area so in a sense we are looking for her because we don't know exactly where the place she is at is."  
  
"Well let me point you in the right direction" the guard said helpfully  
  
"No thank you, we're fine."  
  
"Ok" resigned the guard "So, here on business?"  
  
"Something like that" One looked at his watch and he nudged Two.  
  
"Well, got to be going, loads to do." Said Two quickly, catching on.  
  
"Wait a second, What's that in your pocket?" said the guard suddenly  
  
"A pen" replied One, pulling out a blue biro from his pocket.  
  
"No no, your inside pocket- "  
  
"What? this?" said One pulling out a silver switchblade from his inside pocket. The guard immediately pulled out a revolver and pointed it at the Twins.  
  
"Drop your weapon and put your hands behind your head" the guard said in a shaky voice.  
  
The Twins looked at each other and grinned. Two pulled out his own switchblade and they both started forward towards the guard.  
  
"I'm warning you, I'll shoot!" The guard was paling every second and as the Twins advanced they noticed that his hands were shaking madly as he tried to hold on the the revolver in his chubby hands.  
  
"Don't come any closer or I promise I'll shoot. I don't want to have to do that but I will, if you force me to I swear I will"  
  
The Twins continued their advance and flicked open their switchblades. Beads of sweat were tricking down the guard's face as he pulled the trigger.  
  
A deafening bang, echoed through the shopping centre and the guard's face lost all colour as he let out a shrill scream. The Twins had phased and so the bullet had passed right through them, landing with a smart 'clink' on the floor ten feet behind. They returned to their solid state yet the guard still screamed on.  
  
"An eye for an eye" smirked Two  
  
"Too right" replied One as he strode forwards, pulled the guard's head back by his hair, lifted the blade up to the his neck and slit his throat. Blood seeped out from the wound staining the cuffs on One's immaculate white shirt a poisonous red.  
  
One let go of the guard, who slumped, lifeless to the floor. Blood oozed out over the tiles and One kicked him back down the escalator until he landed with a nasty 'crack' on the marbled floor below.  
  
One turned back to Two.  
  
"Well, you can't say that wasn't fun" laughed Two  
  
"Alright for you to say, you didn't get a stained shirt." grumbled One . 


	5. Cry of the Vulture

Chapter 5  
  
~~*Cry of the Vulture*~~  
  
"So, where do you think she'll be" asked Two as they marched along the upper floor of the mall.  
  
"I have no idea" replied One who has only half listening due to his attention on his shirt which he was vigorously rubbing in an attempt to remove the blood. Two looked round and smirked.  
  
"Oh, just leave it will you. It won't come off by you rubbing it; you'll need to get some stain remover on it."  
  
One just pouted.  
  
"What was the question again?"  
  
Two sighed. "Clean your ears out. The question was 'Where do you think this girl will be?"  
  
One arranged his face into what looked like a thoughtful expression and replied "Well, from my experience of women I expect she'll be trying on make-up or something."  
  
"What do you mean by 'your' experience of women? You've never had any."  
  
"That's all you know" said One with a sly wink.  
  
"Enough info thank you very much" grimaced Two "So, make-up you say? But all the shops are closed"  
  
"All but one" corrected One jabbing a finger across at the shop opposite that appeared to sell nothing but make-up.  
  
"She has to be in there. There's no where else for her to be" said Two.  
  
Just as they were about to step into the store; One stopped as he caught sight of a woman working inside. "We better take the sunglasses off"  
  
"Why?" inquired Two  
  
"You can never really tell with women. They can easily get scared and provoked by the smallest of things and then they start attacking you with random objects. Usually bags or vases!"  
  
Two sighed and removed the black sunglasses from his face and put them in his pocket. One followed suit.  
  
"I am sorry I ever doubted you on your 'experience' of women"  
  
"Apology accepted" grinned One "Shall we get going?"  
  
The shop was completely deserted apart from the cashier that was clearing up. The twins approached her and she looked up. As soon as she realised what she was looking at she backed away into a display behind her, causing several bottles of perfume to topple off the shelves and smash on the floor.  
  
Two wrinkled his nose in disgust as the overpowering aroma of 'Eau de Toilette' reached his nostrils.  
  
"Wh-What do you want?" the woman stammered.  
  
"Have you seen this girl?" asked Two, pulling out a small photo of a woman with shoulder length brown hair and a business type suit.  
  
"Who are you?" the woman asked  
  
"We are from the police. We have reason to believe that this woman is part of a criminal organisation that assassinates random people at her master's orders" replied Two.  
  
One stared at his brother in rapt admiration for his speed at lying.  
  
"So, have you seen her?" pressed Two.  
  
"Yes, I have. She was in here a few minutes ago making a final purchase when she remembered that she had left her purse in the toilets. She asked me to put her purchase aside for her and that she would be back in a minute."  
  
"So she is coming back here?" questioned One  
  
"Yes. That's what she said."  
  
"Do you mind if we take a look around?"  
  
"No. Be my guests. I'll just clear this up" replied the woman gesturing at the broken bottles and puddles of perfume littering the floor.  
  
"Oh, and when she returns, do not mention us to her" said One  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It would be liable to scare her off" finished Two "I mean, wouldn't you be scared if you heard that the police were searching for you?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right. I'll best be getting back to clearing up"  
  
"You do that ma'am!" smirked One with a fake accent.  
  
"I won't even bother asking why you just said that" sighed Two.  
  
"By the way. Where did you get that photo from?" asked One as they wandered up the aisle.  
  
"The Merovingian always gives me one in case I need to use it. Though I never have had too, before now."  
  
"And just why did you use it now?"  
  
"Because I couldn't deal with a woman in distress asking unnecessary questions so I thought it best to get the point and quickly" explained Two.  
  
They continued round the shop, looking at various different kinds of make-ups. Blusher and nail polish in many different colours lined the shelves and gift boxes with brand names and ornate lettering were stacked around the shop. The twins winced at a particularly expensive lipstick in a gross shade of brown.  
  
"Why would people even think about buying this stuff?" mused One as he examined a shelf full of different mascara.  
  
"Well, we do wear some make-up" admitted Two  
  
"Yes, but at least ours is decent, not like some of the foul colours in here" retorted One.  
  
"Oh look" piped up Two "A half way decent shade of lipstick"  
  
"Really? Where?" One hurried over to join his brother  
  
"Made you look!" grinned Two  
  
"Hang on!" One said "What are these doing in a make-up store?"  
  
"What are what doing in a make-up store?"  
  
"Those" remarked One pointing at a large display full of sunglasses.  
  
"I have no idea" sniffed Two.  
  
"I wonder if any would suit us."  
  
"There's only one way to find out."  
  
They went through pair after pair of sunglasses, checking themselves in the small mirrors as various times and then replacing them back on the hooks.  
  
"What about these?" Two turned to face his twin who was wearing large, round Polaroid style glasses in a bright shade of blue.  
  
"They make you look like you're going skiing" smirked One.  
  
Two raised an eyebrow and put the glasses back on the display." Well yours are worse. They make you look like an insect!"  
  
"I think we are best suited to these" said One, pulling out his black glasses from his pocket. Two pulled his out and put them back on.  
  
"Yes. I think you are right."  
  
They strode back over to where the cashier had just finished clearing up.  
  
"Has she come back yet?" asked One  
  
"No, not yet. I am sorry to keep you waiting but I am going to have to close up in a few minutes."  
  
She stopped as she caught sight of the glasses on Two's face and in One's hand.  
  
"Oh, are you wanting to buy those?" she said "I'm sorry, I didn't realise."  
  
"Oh no, these are ours" corrected Two  
  
"Yours? Well, you didn't come in with them?" the woman eyed them suspiciously  
  
"They were in our pockets when we came in."  
  
"Well I didn't see them."  
  
"Since they were inside our pockets, you wouldn't would you?" scowled Two  
  
"Ok. I'll let you off this time. But only because I trust you people of the law" she smiled.  
  
The twins nodded and One managed to force a small smile of appreciation.  
  
"The girl must have forgotten where the shop is" sighed the cashier "Oh, well. She'll just have to come back tomorrow for it."  
  
Suddenly the sound of running footsteps echoed along the floor outside. The twins and the cashier looked up as a young woman rushed into the shop, breathing heavily. She was quite tall with green eyes and chestnut hair tied up in a ponytail and she was wearing a white jacket and t-shirt with jeans.  
  
"I am so sorry" she panted "I couldn't find my purse for ages until I discovered it in lost property then I forgot where your shop was."  
  
"Yes. I surmised as much" laughed the cashier "Now it was this gift box wasn't it?"  
  
"No. It was the one next to it, with the gold ribbon. It's for my mother's birthday"  
  
"How nice for her" the cashier put the box in a carrier bag, put the money in the till and handed the bag to the woman.  
  
"Ok, I'm closing now so could all three of you go outside to talk?"  
  
"All three of us?" the woman said turning round "Oh. Who are you?"  
  
"We'll explain when we get outside" said Two.  
  
"You needn't be worried" the cashier assured her "They're perfectly pleasant."  
  
"Alright then" the woman resigned.  
  
They left the shop and stood outside next to a large potted plant.  
  
"Right. First things first. Who are you two and why do you want to talk to me?" the woman asked.  
  
"We are from the police and-"  
  
"Drop the act." snapped One "The other one's gone now."  
  
"Ok, fine" said Two "Would you come over here please." He beckoned to her as he stepped backwards.  
  
"Would one of you please tell me what the hell is going on here?"  
  
"Is your name Estelle Croft?" questioned Two.  
  
"Yes, my name is Estelle Croft, but how did you know that?"  
  
"If it is then you have nothing to fear" he replied with a smile "Now if you would come over here I will show you the reason why we want to speak you."  
  
Estelle walked forward but very cautiously as though every step nearer was an effort.  
  
"That's right. Now stand right here facing me so I can show you."  
  
She stood directly in front of Two, her eyes locked with his.  
  
"Go on then" she said "Show me why you want to speak with me."  
  
No sooner had she said these words; she felt an incredible pain sear through her wrists as they were yanked roughly behind her back and held there fast. She looked as far as she could behind her and saw that One had her in a tight grip, so much so that she could feel her wrists going numb.  
  
"I told you that you would have nothing to fear. Well in truth I meant that you will not need to fear anything, anymore." Two whispered in her ear.  
  
"What do you mean" she gasped.  
  
"Exactly what I say" he purred.  
  
She shivered as he ran a pale finger down her cheek and neck, eyes lingering for a moment on a small scar on her collarbone.  
  
"What do you want with me?" she cried.  
  
"It's not me that wants anything with you" he whispered "I'm just acting on orders."  
  
Estelle's eyes widened as she registered what he said and quite suddenly she pushed with all her might against him sending him backwards into the plant behind, sending it flying to the ground with a heart- stopping 'crash!'. This attack took him quite by surprise and he instinctively whipped out his switchblade and pressed it to Estelle's neck.  
  
"Now you listen to me and listen well" he snarled "This can either be quick and easy, or I can make it long and drawn out. It's up to you."  
  
"You're right" she snapped "It is up to me." She clenched her teeth and dug her long fingernails as hard and she could into One's gripping hands. He let out a sharp yelp of pain and let go, caught completeley off his guard by the sudden strike. Estelle saw her chance. She pulled away from the twins and bolted down the mall leaving her bag behind her on the floor.  
  
"He'll never take me back" she screamed as she ran "Never! I will not return to that French lech!" 


	6. On the Run

Chapter 6.  
  
~~* On the Run *~~  
  
The Twins looked at each other in surprise,  
  
"That french what?" gaped Two  
  
"And how exactly does she know the Merovingian?" said One, equally at a loss for what to say.  
  
Far ahead of them, Estelle crashed into a metal bin and sent it flying. Two seemed to come to his senses at the massive crash.  
  
"Come on!" he shouted to his brother.  
  
The twins raced along the marbled floor, their footsteps echoing in the silence of the pursuit. In front, Estelle's footfalls became slower as she began to tire but she did not stop. The twins however, kept going as though they were running on an eternal supply of power.  
  
"Why don't you give it up, lady?" One called to Estelle. "You know you can't outrun us."  
  
"Oh yeah?" she called back over her shoulder "Just watch me!"  
  
"She's persistent isn't she?" said One a minute or as later as they reached the escalators.  
  
"She is. But not for long" grinned Two as Estelle ran to the stairs by the escalators and bolted down the steps.  
  
"What do you-"  
  
A high-pitched scream shattered the silence and Two's grin grew wider.  
  
"Told you so."  
  
One gave his brother a look that would curdle milk.  
  
The twins followed Estelle down the steps, though at a slower pace for there was no longer any need to hurry.  
  
"Odd." smirked Two "I never knew dead people could be so useful."  
  
On the floor below, lay the guard they had recently killed. And on top, in a crumpled up heap clutching at her ankle, was Estelle.  
  
"Did-you-do-this?" she panted.  
  
"Not a problem is it?" sniffed One.  
  
"What do you mean 'Not a problem'?" she grimaced "Who are you? And what do you want with me?"  
  
"We are your worst nightmare-" sneered Two  
  
"-and unfortunately for you, it's not us that wants you" finished One.  
  
Estelle gasped and then winced as her hand flew back to her ankle.  
  
"Oh dear. Twisted your foot?" said Two in mock concern.  
  
"Like you care" she spat.  
  
"Oh but I do." He replied with a sly grin and reached towards her.  
  
Estelle whipped round raised her hand and dealt a heavy blow to his face. Two stumbled backwards, one hand at his cheek which was slowly turning scarlet.  
  
"How dare you!" she hissed in fury.  
  
Two scowled "Shall we get this over with?" he sighed to One.  
  
"Yes. I have had enough of playing cat and mouse with this little wench." replied One.  
  
Two got slowly to his feet, his face now a stark contrast of crimson and white.  
  
One reached inside his coat and pulled out his silver switchblade. The twins towered over the young woman on the floor, who was trying with all her might to get up. But against the pain it was impossible.  
  
Two also reached inside his own coat, ready to pull out his own blade when he stopped.  
  
"Er. . . . One?"  
  
"What is it now?" sighed One.  
  
"Have you got my blade?"  
  
"Why would I have it?"  
  
"Er. . . . "  
  
"You haven't lost it?"  
  
Two rolled his eyes. "Well-I. . . "  
  
One slapped a hand to his forehead. "I just don't believe you sometimes. Really I don't." Two shuffled his feet, pondering for the right answer.  
  
"I must have left it in that shop." He muttered.  
  
"In the shop?" One exclaimed "How did you manage that?"  
  
"Well, when that woman was asking us about our sunglasses. I got it out in case she started being awkward, and I must have left it behind."  
  
One's lips suddenly turned upwards into a smirk. "Well, at least you're learning" he sighed. "Go on then, you go and get it and I'll stay here with this." He gestured at Estelle.  
  
"Right." replied Two. He dashed back up the stairs and disappeared in a whirl of white coat.  
  
Estelle tried another frantic attempt to get up but was stopped short by One's blade that so quickly found its way to her throat.  
  
"Don't even think about it." He sneered. 


	7. Recollections and Revelations

Notes to the reviewers~  
  
EddieChoseLife~ No she won't! Thanks for your comment and the tip on punctuation. I'll check up on that and try to improve. =D  
  
Triality~ Oooo, well we'll have to wait and see. *grins*  
  
Kit19~ Thanks a lot. *smiles*  
  
Kyrillia ~ It's such an honour to be visited by such a great writer and to be left such a nice review, double the honour *bows* You'll soon see who Estelle is and yes, those were two of my favourite parts as well. I passed on your 'hello' and it was received with open arms. Again, thanks and good luck with your fics. (When will Twilight be updated? Hint, hint!)  
  
Karina of Darkness~ He is isn't he. Oh well, what would we do without them?  
  
To all those who weren't mentioned personally, thanks for your reviews, they are all appreciated and all points are taken to heart and thought about seriously. *Hands all the reviewers cookies* If you want a cookie and you haven't reviewed yet, you know what to do! *grins*  
  
Now on with the story. . . . .!  
  
Chapter 7.  
  
~~*Recollections and Revelations*~~  
  
Two sped along the upper floor cursing himself at every opportunity for being so careless. Finally, the shop in question honed into view and Two ran all the more fast for it. He skidded to a halt outside the shop, shoes screeching on the polished floor. His heart did a tremendous leap inside his chest when he saw that the shop was not closed, but plummeted right down into the pit of his stomach when he saw the lights inside switch off.  
  
He scanned the windows for any sign of life nearby. He could see none and his eyes had never deceived him, well apart from that one incident in the cinema with the two brunettes. . . Two shivered at the mere memory and so pushing that disconcerting thought to the back of his mind, he ventured forth into the murky shop.  
  
Back at the bottom of the escalator, One was feeling annoyed. No, more than annoyed. He was seething.  
  
"We finally get the opportunity to kill someone and what does he do?" he muttered under his breath "He goes and messes it all up. I wonder sometimes if we really are related."  
  
A cough sounded from below and One looked down.  
  
"Did you know that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness?" said Estelle with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"That would explain a few things" replied One.  
  
"Like what?" she asked.  
  
"Like why I let that so-called brother of mine come with me all the time and why I'm stuck here with you and not him."  
  
"Am I really such bad company?" she said "I don't talk much or pester you either."  
  
"Yes, and it's a good job you don't otherwise I might be tempted to spoil my brother's share of fun." Replied One.  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed "Are you two brothers then?"  
  
One looked at Estelle, a mixture of surprise and annoyance on his face.  
  
"You mean you hadn't realised?"  
  
"No, I thought you were just following a fashion or something." She admitted.  
  
"Oh" was all that One could think of to say. A long silence followed this then Estelle spoke again.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
One sniffed loudly, a sign that his patience was beginning to fray. "I would have thought you'd have guessed that by now." He said, not looking at her.  
  
"Well, yes and no. I know you are here on the Merovingian's orders and-"  
  
"Hold on a minute!" said One in surprise "How do you know the Merovingian?"  
  
"I used to work for him" she replied.  
  
"And you don't now?"  
  
"No. You see before I left, I was given an assignment to kill two people that were endangering the Merovingian's secrecy. So off I went, with a few colleagues. We arrived at the people's house and broke the door down as usual. As soon as we were inside it hit me like a bolt of lightning. It was my parent's house. Can you believe that?" she sobbed "He wanted me to murder my own parents!" a tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away hastily. "Anyway, the others did the job while I stood crying, against the wall of the living room. When we got back to the Merovingian, the others told him of my failure to act on orders. I have never seen the Merovingian look so happy. He told the others to leave and then he -he. . ."  
  
"What?" pressed One "What did he do?"  
  
"He raped me."  
  
"He what?"  
  
"That's right. His wife stood in the corner, watching with a kind of vindictive pleasure while he did it. When he'd finished she came over and slapped me hard around the face and said 'You see what happens when you stray from your work?'"  
  
One stood in silence, watching Estelle dry her eyes on her sleeve. Waves of horror and disbelief swept over him, numbing his body with shock. He knew that his boss was a snide, pathetic little man but never did he think that he would do that.  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked a bite of suspicion in his voice.  
  
"Because you need to know. I have to tell you of what he is truly capable of." She explained "If any human fails him, they are shamed beyond repair, emotional and mental state broken and are left feeling meaningless, filthy and insignificant. To those programs that he 'employs' that fail him, they are removed as though they never existed. You believe that you can only be sent back to the source. In truth there is a far more 'effective' way of disposal that the Merovingian prefers to use. I have seen it used many times."  
  
"And why should I believe you? How do I know that any of this really happened?"  
  
"Would I really lie about something like that?" she said, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "Look, get out while you still can" she carried on, urgency in her voice. "I know why he wants me dead. There is an inquest into my parent's death and he's afraid that I'll tell on him."  
  
"Why does this involve me and Two? And what exactly did you mean by 'get out while you still can'?" asked One.  
  
"It involves you more than you could ever perceive. You have two choices. The first is to kill me. If I disappear then the Merovingian will be hunted down and everyone in his employment will be destroyed, one way or another. The second is that you leave me alive and you two will be deleted as though you never were."  
  
"Why will he be hunted down?"  
  
"Because I've left a record of the events and where he is based." She replied.  
  
"Where have you left these records?"  
  
"In my apartment, that is the first place they will look." She continued to sob into her sleeve as the memories of her past came flooding back in.  
  
One swallowed hard and his breathing rate increased as his heart pounded with anxiety in his chest. And something sank into his mind. Something that he had before never thought possible for himself to feel. He had thought it totally irrational and impossible for him to ever feel fear.  
  
"Come on Two." he thought frantically "Hurry up!" 


	8. Sharp Minds Short Tempers

Chapter 8  
  
~~*Sharp Minds, Short Tempers*~~  
  
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Two called out, his voice echoing slightly in the silence. There was no answer. Two made his way forward through the shop to where the sunglasses were and opened his mouth in horror. His switchblade was nowhere to be seen. Even in the darkness there was certainly no small glint of silver shining or flickering anywhere. His stomach jumped into his mouth as he began frantically searching for the offending item. A couple of upturned shelves and a few ruined displays later Two still hadn't found his blade.  
  
As he scanned the shop he could plainly see that he had searched everywhere and was about to resign to the fact that he'd lost his blade and was a failure of the title of "assassin" when his eyes fell on a small silver object in the far corner of the room. He made his way quickly towards it, treading carefully over the mess littering the floor. As soon as he reached it he clearly saw that it was not what he was looking for. It did, however, spark a ray of hope for him. He put his hand out towards the silver door handle when suddenly he stopped, listening hard.  
  
"Yes. White suits and sunglasses, and dreadlocks. Yes officer, I did say dreadlocks. And you're sure there is no one of that description on your force? Right. Mmmm. Well, could you come down here and take a look, one of them has left a knife of some sort behind. Thank you officer and, oh my!"  
  
Two snatched the blade from her hand and slammed the receiver back on the hook.  
  
"Not an advisable thing to do, love. Not advisable at all."  
  
"Wh-What do you want with me?" the woman stammered.  
  
"You?" exclaimed Two "My dear, who ever said we wanted you? However you have put me in rather a difficult position." He turned round and slammed the door shut behind him "I like to work in private" he explained.  
  
"You can't do anything to me" she said with new confidence "The cops are going to be here soon. They'll sort you out and then you'll get what's coming to you!"  
  
"Love, what's coming to us is a meal of bouillabaisse soup and oysters with our boss. You don't seriously think that a bunch of cops could take on One and me?"  
  
The woman nodded in response.  
  
"I've got America's finest on their way and if they can't take you, then no-one can."  
  
Two shook his head and sighed. "Then no-one can take us, my dear."  
  
"Hurry up Two!" he thought to himself "Just kill her and have done with it. Then you can finish what you came here for!"  
  
Two grabbed the woman's hair and pulled her head back in a tight grip. She screamed and struggled but he had her held fast by the roots of her hair.  
  
"Don-Don't do this!" she whimpered "Please. I'm begging you. Don't do this. I'm worth nothing to you. Nothing at all"  
  
"Of course you're worth nothing to me" he replied "Why would I do this if you did?"  
  
She continued to struggle against Two's iron grip, arms and hands flailing through the air trying to make contact. Eventually her persistence paid off but not in the way she'd hoped. She landed a heavy slap on his left cheek which sent his attention elsewhere for a few seconds but it was soon returned to the job in hand when he noticed her knee making repeated attempts to hit him in the groin. He stepped forward and caught her knee between his thighs. She stumbled and fell over backwards and Two snapped open his blade.  
  
Suddenly the sound of running footsteps echoed through the shop and the door was flung open to reveal a rather pink, sweaty and a very out of breath One.  
  
"Great. What did you do this time?" he snapped.  
  
"Nothing?" replied Two "Why?"  
  
"Because I've just had to take on seven cops by myself and with only a switchblade as a weapon. So I come up here to get you and I find you making out in the cleaners cupboard."  
  
Two gazed around the vicinity to find out that it was indeed covered with shelves upon shelves of cleaning fluid and tools.  
  
"We weren't 'making out' as you call it."  
  
"Have it you're own way. Now let's get going, we can't linger here. We'll have to use the back stairs"  
  
"Why?" asked Two  
  
"Because one of the cops I thought was dead, set fire to the decorative plants with his lighter and it's spreading pretty quickly!"  
  
"Ah. Well what about her?"  
  
"Leave her"  
  
"No no, What did you do with Estelle?"  
  
"She made a run for it while I was busy with those cops didn't she." snarled One.  
  
Two just sighed.  
  
'What were you saying?'  
  
'I am saying, dear brother that we cannot linger here.' replied One.  
  
Two let his hand fall from behind the woman's head. Her pale green eyes were widened in terror and her face pale as the whitest chalk.  
  
'Such a pity' purred Two as he ran an elegant finger down the woman's cheek 'I would have liked to make my mark on this one'  
  
He snapped the blade shut, withdrew it from her neck and slipped it back inside his pocket.  
  
'Hurry up!' hissed One. 'I have told you we cannot ling-'  
  
'Alright, alright. I'm coming.'  
  
Two stood up to his full height and gazed down upon the woman, cowering on the floor below.  
  
'See you around then' he sniggered down at her as she drew back beneath his hidden stare.  
  
'Come on!' One grabbed his twin's arm and pulled him away from the scene. They exited the building in sync, leaving behind only flames, rubble and death. 


	9. Two Brunettes and a Pizza Hut

Chapter 9  
  
~~*Two Brunettes and a Pizza Hut*~~  
  
As soon as they were out of the shop Two rounded on his brother,  
  
"What's the matter with you these days?" he asked.  
  
One gave him a blank look and replied.  
  
"What do you mean? There's nothing 'the matter' with me at all?"  
  
"Could've fooled me" murmured Two.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"It's just that under any other circumstance you could've taken on those cops and made sure Estelle didn't get away. So why was this time different?"  
  
One shrugged "I guess she must know some tricks from the Merovingian."  
  
They ran the length of the shopping mall, retracing their steps the way they'd come until they reached the exit.  
  
"Oh great!" moaned Two  
  
"What? What is it?" said One as he caught up.  
  
"They've locked the doors!"  
  
"And?" smirked One  
  
"And what?" replied Two "We're locked in. There's no way out!"  
  
One sighed. "When will you ever learn? Come on. There's the fire exit over there." They dashed outside to the car park, tumble into the car and drove off in the direction of the motorway.  
  
There was silence all the way down the motorway and finally One could stand it no longer. He felt he just had to say something, anything. He turned to his brother "Remember the incident with the two girls in the cinema?" he said.  
  
Two grimaced. "Yes. And I don't thank you for bringing that up" he said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Oh lighten up. Everyone has to have a weak point. Yours just happens to be getting your date and her sister mixed up!"  
  
"No I didn't. That's not how I remember it!"  
  
"Well I remember it going something like this. You went out with your date at 7 o clock to the cinema and I just happened to be going the same way as you so-"  
  
"You followed us?"  
  
"No. There just happened to be a great pizza place next to the cinema. I didn't really want to spend the evening with only our lodging rat for company did I? Anyway, I went to get the pizza and watched you and your date go into the cinema. When I came out, I saw your date getting out of a taxi then I realised it wasn't her. She had a blue coat on; this other had a red jacket."  
  
"Carry on." urged Two  
  
"So. I dumped the pizza in the car and followed this girl in, only to find she was going to the exact same movie as you. I bought her a ticket and sat down with her; just as the film was about to start. Then I spotted you on the row in front with your arm round your date. It almost brought a tear to my eye!"  
  
"Shut up" scowled Two.  
  
"Who's telling this story? About an hour into the film and typically just as it was getting interesting, you got up and being the nice, considerate brother I am, I followed you out to see if you were ok. You went to the toilet so I waited on a seat then you came out and didn't even notice me! I was so offended you didn't notice your own brother and I probably missed the best part of the film too.  
  
Two laughed. "I did notice you. I just wanted to make you feel annoyed. Call it payback for following me. And from what I remember, there were no seats outside the toilets, only a large plant and I distinctly remember you hiding behind that."  
  
One cleared his throat, failing to disguise a feeling of embarrassment and continued.  
  
"I followed your back inside the cinema and then, dear brother, I enjoyed one of the best moments of my life. You sat down next to the other girl who I was with and then she kissed you!"  
  
"This is not funny."  
  
"It was for me. And it's about one of the only times I've ever pulled a girl."  
  
Two grinned. "Ah, but you didn't. She kissed me!"  
  
"Ah, but I did. I was the one sitting next to her, remember? But being the brother I am I knew I had to get you out of there before either of them realised what was going on. I ran up to where they play the film and the guy there was asleep. So I reached over him and stopped the film. Then I dashed back into the cinema and there was uproar. I still believe I must've stopped the film at an important part from the noise everyone was making. You'd have thought something terrible had happened"  
  
"But it had" corrected Two "You stopped the very film I'd been wanting to see for ages!"  
  
"Will you stop interrupting? Anyway, in the confusion, I grabbed you away from the girl who thankfully had not noticed you weren't me and was busy arguing with her neighbour about the sudden halt in the entertainment. Your date on the other hand was looking frantically around for you so I dragged you out the back door before anyone, especially your date, could notice. Once we were in the car I decided you should go in for the world's best loudmouthed and ungrateful sod. All you could say was 'You idiot! She'll never want to see me again!' There's thanks for you! At least the pizza was still there but unfortunately during my escapade of saving your neck it had gone stone cold."  
  
"I never asked you to follow me" said Two.  
  
"No, but if I hadn't, I'd have still got the blame for not being there."  
  
"You wouldn't have"  
  
"Believe me Two, I would."  
  
The came off the motorway and drove down a smaller road into a large estate.  
  
"Why are we here?" asked Two.  
  
One pulled a sheet of paper out his pocket.  
  
"Number 17. Hertside Estate. The Croft Residence" he read.  
  
Two opened his mouth in disgust.  
  
"I swear the Merovingian favours you. You get all the inside info, the driving licence and extra oysters at his dinner parties!"  
  
One shook his head in mock despair.  
  
"Quit complaining!" 


	10. The True Assassin

Chapter 10  
  
~~*The True Assassin*~~  
  
"What are you playing at?" One hissed to his brother.  
  
"I was going to ring the doorbell, O favoured one" mocked Two.  
  
One sighed. "I seriously think that we are going to have to get you a very large notebook and then you can take notes on what a true assassin should act like."  
  
"Go on then. What should a 'true' assassin act like" smirked Two.  
  
"Like this" said One and phased through the oak door.  
  
Two stood silent for a moment and blushed. "I knew that!"  
  
"Yeah, sure" replied One as his brother joined him inside "Now all we have to do is to find that girl"  
  
"Why are you so sure she'll be here?" asked Two.  
  
"I had a little chat with her while you were searching for your blade and she told me something that makes me certain that she'll be here."  
  
"Why do you always have to be so secretive?"  
  
"It's a pity you don't already have a notebook with you"  
  
"Why?" asked Two  
  
"Point Four. A true assassin never reveals important information that he believes to have significant value." One quoted.  
  
"You made that up!"  
  
"Ah, but you'll never find out will you?" grinned One receiving only a scowl from Two in response.  
  
They walked through the hall speaking nothing to each other as they searched for any clue that might lead them to Estelle. The first room they came to turned out to be the living room and being the type of person to make themselves at home, One helped himself to a whisky from the sideboard. Two reached over to pour himself a glass too, but had his hand slapped away quickly by One.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
One raised an eyebrow. "Point Seventeen. The true assassin is the only one to ever have the privileges of someone else's property."  
  
"That's not fair!"  
  
"All's fair in love and war dear brother." One drained his glass and exited back out into the hall.  
  
The searched the whole of the downstairs and after finding nothing except a jar of pickles in the fridge which One put ' point seventeen' to use on, they decided to venture upstairs.  
  
"Don't you think it's a bit odd?" remarked Two after the through search of the study.  
  
"What's odd?" replied One.  
  
"Don't you think we'd have heard someone in the house by now if anyone was here?" Two explained.  
  
"No. She could be hiding from us."  
  
Two suddenly grimaced, sniffed deeply and immediately pinched his nose.  
  
"Can you smeld dat?" he said turning to One who already had his nose in a tight pinch.  
  
"Yes. I cad an it stiks!"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
One released his nose and continued.  
  
"I said 'Yes I can and it stinks'"  
  
"Oh. Right!"  
  
"It's coming from over there" One pointed to the opposite room across the landing. He looked at his twin who hadn't responded to see that he still was holding his nose, hard.  
  
"Oh, stop it you idiot!" scowled One "If I can stand it, you can."  
  
"I have a senditive dose" said Two.  
  
One narrowed his eyes and Two finally released his nose.  
  
"Thank you. Can I continue?"  
  
"Please do. Just don't complain if I faint from this stench."  
  
They wandered across to where the smell was coming from and opened the door. It was like stepping into a furnace. The whole room was a violent shade of orange and red and by the far wall under the window was a wooden cot surrounded by many stuffed toys and plastic oddities.  
  
They edged closer to the cot and peered inside to see a small pink face grinning up at them. It lifted a finger to its mouth and murmured "Tommy go poo poo!" and giggled.  
  
The twins exchanged horrified glances then One cleared his throat.  
  
"The true assassin never strays from the job in hand."  
  
Two suddenly hooted with laughter.  
  
"Great. Since this is now the 'job in hand' I believe as you are the true assassin you get this task!"  
  
One gulped and reached inside the cot when suddenly footsteps sounded on the stairs. The twins whipped out their blades ready for anything that might come through the door. A voice followed with the footsteps and they grew louder as they neared the room.  
  
"Sorry Alan. I must've fallen asleep outside. That new deckchair is so comfy."  
  
The door opened and in came a woman with chestnut coloured hair wearing only a blue bikini and sunglasses. When she saw the twins she did something totally unexpected. She didn't scream or yell for help. Quite on the contrary she remained quite calm, lowered her sunglasses and simply said "Who are you?"  
  
Two's eyes and mouth however had become rather fixed. He stared determinedly at the wall in front of him to prevent his eyes from wandering to stare at something they shouldn't.  
  
One answered the question very formally but to the point.  
  
"My name is One and this is my brother, Two. We were told that a woman named Estelle Croft lived here. Do you know where we might find her?"  
  
The young woman suddenly laughed. "Why, my name is Maria Croft. Estelle is my sister. Why do you want to find her?"  
  
"We have a message for her from her late boss."  
  
"I never knew she was employed. Oh well. She lives on Hertside Road that's the road across the street. She lives on the third floor of the apartment building at number 17."  
  
"Right. Thank you Miss Croft. You have been most helpful. We'll just be leaving now."  
  
"Leaving? Of course. But I'm coming with you."  
  
"What?!" The twins stared at her in utter disbelief. One was the first to regain composure.  
  
"That will not be necessary, Miss Croft."  
  
"Oh but it is. You see what concerns my sister, concerns me."  
  
"You have a baby to look after though."  
  
"I know. I'll call Mrs Lloyd. She'll be glad to look after Tommy for a while."  
  
"You are making this very awkward for us."  
  
"I'm sorry but you must understand-"  
  
Suddenly a loud wail sounded from the cot and Maria rushed over to it.  
  
"Oh dear" she said "It looks like I'll have to stay here after all. I'll ring Estelle later. That' not a problem is it?"  
  
"No, no. Of course not" said the twins sounding thoroughly relieved.  
  
"You can find your own way out right?"  
  
"Yes of course. Goodbye Miss."  
  
"Goodbye."  
  
The twins walked back downstairs but just before they got to the door, One took a detour back inside the living room. Two however, walked out to the car and was about to sit in the driving seat hen he was shoved out the way by One.  
  
"Remember Two. The true assassin-"  
  
"Yes I know. Stop going on about it."  
  
One started up the car and reversed out of the driveway. He shoved a large glass bottle containing a bronze coloured liquid in Two's lap.  
  
"Make sure you take good care of that." He said "I want a decent nightcap tonight, not the sewage that the Merovingian gives us!" 


	11. The Note

A/N~ Sorry I haven't updated for a while, I've been dogged down by work and stuff. Anyway, here's the next chapter.  
  
Chapter 11~ The Note  
  
Hertside Road was a very peaceful and tranquil neck of the woods and at the moment everyone was inside their houses on the estate watching the afternoon football. So peaceful perhaps, that someone looking out of their windows would pay almost no attention to two albino twins with dreadlocks and trench coats. One parked the car outside the apartment building; he and Two stepped out the car and made their way to the door. Suddenly Two froze. One looked over his shoulder to see that Two had a petrified expression on his face and was staring down at his leg. One followed Two's line of sight and what he saw made him smirk.  
  
A large tabby cat, who seemed to find albino assassins indistinguishable from your everyday estate resident, was playfully rubbing against Two's leg.  
  
"Get a move on will you" One sniggered.  
  
"I-I-I can't" Two stammered  
  
"Pardon"  
  
I'm allergic to-t-t-ACHOO!" Two let rip an enormous sneeze which startled the tabby for a few seconds until it began rubbing again. Two tried to move away from the cat but it kept following him wherever he went, making loud mewing noises all the time.  
  
One looked up from his brother's predicament and his gaze fell on an old lady, half running, and half hobbling across the road towards them.  
  
"Oh Paddy!" She cried as she neared the cat. "Oh Paddy my darling how I've missed you!"  
  
One looked at Two, an expression of horror on his face. The old lady bent down to pick up 'Paddy' and began to coo softly in his ear.  
  
"I can't thank you two enough for finding him" she said to the twins "He's been missing for over two days now and I was getting very worried. I tell you what, come inside and have a cup of tea, it's the least I can do to thank you."  
  
"Actually we need to be going" replied Two  
  
"That's a pity, another time perhaps?" she glanced across at the apartment building behind them and muttered to herself.  
  
"Strange girl that Miss Croft. Very strange she was indeed."  
  
"Excuse me?" said One suddenly.  
  
"Miss Croft" the old lady repeated "She was a strange girl"  
  
"Why?" asked Two  
  
"Never wanted to mix, she didn't. She would often go out in the mornings and not return till late at night. Never told anyone where she went, no one paid much attention to her anyway."  
  
"You knew her then?" asked Two  
  
"Yes, well let us just say that I knew of her. Never said much to her, and she the same with me. I think she preferred living alone. Sad really, poor girl. Only this afternoon she left me this." She opened her handbag and took out a small note with scrawled handwriting on, as though it had been written in a hurry.  
  
"What does it say??"  
  
"She just came round about an hour ago, gave me this and told me to keep it secret until she got back. It says "Gone to airport. Catching the 7 pm flight to Paris. Don't tell anyone from Miss E Croft."  
  
One glanced at his twin and found they were both thinking the same thing. They turned and ran back to the car.  
  
"Where are you going?" The old lady shouted after them.  
  
"We have some business we need to take care of" called One "Just count yourself lucky."  
  
"Why?" she sounded puzzled.  
  
"Count your lucky stars that you are not a security guard!" One put his foot down on the pedal and the tyres screeched as he reversed out of the driveway and shot off down the road.  
  
The old lady just shrugged and made her way back to her house. "Strange people we see these days, don't we Paddy? Strange people indeed."  
  
On the motorway One decided that it would be best to tell Two everything that Estelle had said.  
  
"Just what exactly are you proposing to do?" Two said to his twin. "Are you saying that what ever we do, we're going to be destroyed?"  
  
"Not if I have anything to do with it." Replied One.  
  
"But you just said that she said that if we kill her, the Merovingian will be found and we'll be destroyed and if we don't kill her then he will delete us for good."  
  
"She said that but she took those papers with her."  
  
"Is that why you didn't go into the apartment?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"But how do you know she took them with her?"  
  
"There is a system based in Paris which hunts down major criminals and it is always successful. Use your common sense, Two. Why else would she have gone to Paris?"  
  
"Apart from the fact that it is the city of romance, nothing."  
  
"Exactly. She certainly won't be looking for romance so she has no need to go there so quickly for anything else."  
  
Two suddenly frowned. "And how would you like us to follow her?"  
  
"Easy, we take the 7pm flight to Paris."  
  
"Easy?" sneered Two "Easy? We haven't got a ticket so there is no way we can board that plane."  
  
"Just you leave the thinking to me, Two and you can concentrate on making sure you have that blade sharpened and safe at all times!" 


	12. Men are from Mars

Chapter 12~ Men are from Mars  
  
"This is just so typical!" Two pouted in the passenger seat.  
  
"What?" One glanced at his brother, annoyed at the interruption of his concentration.  
  
"Women!" sniffed Two "Whenever they see a fight, they run."  
  
"And your point is?" You could tell by now One was really getting irritated.  
  
"My point is it would be bad enough if she ran to the other side of town. But oh no, she can't settle for that. She has to go and lead us to flippin' Paris!" Two slammed his hand down on the dashboard causing One to momentarily loose control of the car. He narrowly avoided a collision with a taxi then regained control again.  
  
"If you can't handle the fact that our work sometimes takes us abroad and you take it out on the car, then you can get out here and walk to Paris. Either way, you are going to get there with or without me and the car, alright?"  
  
Two sat back in his seat, arms folded in annoyance and One returned to concentrating on driving.  
  
Around half an hour later, they reached the airport but it was drawing near to half past six when they finally found a parking space.  
  
The twins strode through the airport, their long silver coats billowing behind them as they went. They made their way to the check-in desk. The young woman behind the desk first looked upon the approaching twins with shock but that quickly ebbed away as she convinced herself they were dressed like they were for some kind of promotional event.  
  
"Good evening sirs." The woman said politely "How may I help you?"  
  
"We need to get on the 7 o clock flight to Paris" said One.  
  
"You are just in time sirs" the woman said "May I see your tickets please?"  
  
The twins looked at each other and telepathically decided on an excuse.  
  
"We were told-"  
  
"-we could buy them here."  
  
The woman looked stunned by their shared speech but she continued on the thread she was on.  
  
"I am sorry but you have to purchase them at the desk over there." She pointed to a large desk at the far side of the floor where a chubby man was sitting drinking from a flask.  
  
Without another word the twins strode down to the other desk leaving the young woman staring blankly after them.  
  
As they neared the desk they heard a shout behind them.  
  
"Excuse me!"  
  
The twins turned around to see a middle-aged woman wearing what could have passed as an over-flowery curtain pinned around her shoulders, running towards them dragging her husband in tow.  
  
"What is it-"  
  
"-you want?"  
  
"Did I hear you correctly? Are you going on the 7 o clock flight to Paris?"  
  
"We were hoping to" replied One.  
  
The woman winked at them and fished inside her handbag which looked strangely like it used to be alive and running wild in Africa. From the depths of her bag she produced two plane tickets and pressed them into the twins' hands. The twins looked down at the tickets, back to the woman then stared at the tickets some more looking dumbfounded.  
  
"My husband lost his passport so we can't use them" she explained.  
  
"Oh, thank you" the twins replied, still looking in awe at their stoke of luck.  
  
"No problem" she grabbed her husband by the wrist and hurried him away but as she was leaving the twins heard her lecturing her husband.  
  
"You see dear, it is always you men that get everything wrong."  
  
Two's mouth thinned and he reached inside his coat for his blade when One slapped his hand away.  
  
"Don't kill the nice lady" he smirked. 


	13. The tomato juice incident

Chapter 13~ The tomato juice incident  
  
"When we get back we are going to take a long holiday."  
  
"Yes, we are."  
  
The twins leaned back in their seats on the plane, mentally cursing the woman who had given them the tickets.  
  
"I suppose this is like luxury to her." sighed One  
  
Unfortunately in their hurry to find Estelle they hadn't bothered to check the plane tickets.  
  
"Economy!" snarled Two as he attempted to mutilate his ticket. To an onlooker it may have simply looked as though he was trying to attempt some difficult origami.  
  
"At the rate you're going that thing will have reduced itself to dust soon" grinned One as he gazed at Two's hands still trying to murder the ticket.  
  
"It's not my fault that I'm used to champagne, salmon and a good movie when I'm travelling. Who books our tickets normally? The Merovingian. So therefore it's his fault, not mine if this ticket reduces itself to dust." Two continued to fiddle with the scrap of card between his fingers. "I mean what is this supposed to be?"  
  
Two held up a plastic cup of something that looked like it would have been perfectly at home in a sewage pipe.  
  
"That is tomato juice" said One "It's very good for you."  
  
Two glanced warily at the contents of the cup and cautiously took a small sip. The colour he turned was reminiscent of the kind an artist would be proud to paint grass with.  
  
"I don't even want to know the use-by date" Two managed to splutter out.  
  
"Well, it's usually good for you." One's mouth twitched slightly as he watched his twin pour the remnants of his cup into a sick bag.  
  
"I can't believe you're taking this so calmly." Two gazed up at his twin in amazement.  
  
"It's called 'putting on a front' besides we don't want this one screwed up, do we?" One raised an eyebrow at his brother who quickly went back to mutilating his ticket.  
  
Lunch turned out to be even less appetising than the tomato juice. The only thing left that the woman had left on the trolley was mushroom soup or ham cobs. After the tomato juice episode Two decided that he wasn't hungry. One, however, chose to brave a ham cob.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay, so we forget the holiday when we get back. Instead, we'll send the Merovingian on a round-the-world trip in economy! It'll do him good to see how the other half live.."  
  
The twins strode through the Parisian airport attracting stranger looks than usually from passers by.  
  
"Oh the poor dear" whispered an elderly lady to her husband  
  
"That guy looks green!"  
  
"I'm sure, as programs, we're not supposed to get food poisoning." One moaned  
  
"No we're not."  
  
One sighed "Then whatever was in that cob must have been really, really old!"  
  
"I seriously doubt you will get food poisoning."  
  
"How do you know? You've never had it."  
  
"Neither have you so please stop whinging about your stomach and let's find the girl."  
  
"You don't even care your poor brother is dying!" One pouted and sat down heavily on a metal bench.  
  
"For goodness sake. You aren't going to die. Now get your backside off that seat before we both are in danger of something much worse than death."  
  
One groaned clutching his stomach "Like what?"  
  
Two pointed out of the window at a taxi that had just pulled in.  
  
"Like that."  
  
Through the pouring rain outside, the twins could just see a young woman stepping into the car. She was wearing a white t-shirt and jacket with jeans and her chestnut hair was tied in a tight ponytail.  
  
"It's her!" One yelled.  
  
The twins ran through the airport, crashing into people as they passed. They reached the automatic doors which opened just a second too late. The car was gone.  
  
Two looked up and down the road then said something telepathically to One. One nodded and stood on the edge of the pavement. A few seconds later another car came into view. As soon as it was a few feet from where One was standing, he stepped out into the road in front of the oncoming car.  
  
The driver's eyes widened and he swerved out of the way. One, however, phased into the passenger seat.  
  
"Bonjour!" he smirked  
  
The driver took one look at One and slumped forward onto the steering wheel in a dead faint. One opened the driver's door, shoved the man out into the road, moved across to the driver's seat and took control of the steering wheel. Seconds later, Two appeared in the passenger seat.  
  
He looked at One driving and pouted.  
  
"It's not fair! We are in a foreign country, using left-hand drive and you still manage to beat me to the steering wheel!" 


	14. Mirror Image

~*~Chapter 14~ Mirror Image~*~  
  
"I have a question" said Two as they drove through the streets of Paris.  
  
"What?" replied One  
  
"Where are we going to sleep tonight?"  
  
"I'm working on that" said One  
  
"You mean you don't know" sighed Two  
  
"No, I mean I'm working on it" snapped One.  
  
Two clicked his tongue impatiently and sat back in his chair. When his brother was stressed, it was best not to cross him. When his brother was stressed and tired, it was best to not even speak. They went through hotel after hotel yet none of them had a room free. Two was beginning to formulate a plan for hogging the back seat and blanket when they turned a corner into a street they hadn't yet explored.  
  
"Bingo!" came One's voice, bringing Two back to reality with a bump.  
  
"What?"  
  
"There's a nice looking hotel just there."  
  
"And?"  
  
"I have a good feeling about it  
  
"Funny. That's what you said about 'Le Cynge', ' La Royal', 'Wayside Hotel' and ' Le Metropolitan' But this time I'm sure you'll be right" said Two sarcastically.  
  
"At least I'm trying to find somewhere" snapped One and stalked off to reception.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Never question my instinct, dear brother" said One smugly as he poured himself his third glass of whisky.  
  
"I shall not" said Two "At least until the next cock-up occurs!"  
  
"Excuse me? Who found this place?"  
  
"You"  
  
"Who booked us in?"  
  
"You"  
  
"And who-"  
  
"Who had to kiss the receptionist before she would give us the key?" glared Two.  
  
One shrugged.  
  
"Someone had to do it."  
  
"She was ancient!"  
  
"Yeah well, you got off lightly. I was starting to think you might have to kiss the room-service man."  
  
"That's disgusting!" cried Two in outrage. "Why?"  
  
"Well, I didn't have any money for a tip so I decided I would auction you off instead should I be forced to."  
  
"I think I'd prefer your job" said Two with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Hard luck. Retirement is not on my to-do list" grinned One  
  
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully and by the time the twins emptied the last bottle of whisky the eleven o clock news was just finishing. Two yawned widely as the weather reporter was gesturing at the south.  
  
"What about her?" One nudged Two in the ribs.  
  
"What are you on about?"  
  
"The weather-girl. French women are supposed to be the most romantic in the world."  
  
"And?" Two shot his brother a look of pure confusion.  
  
"Well, what do you think of her?"  
  
Two yawned again "She's alright, I suppose."  
  
"She's more than alright" grinned One  
  
"Well, I'm sorry to spoil your fun but I am going to bed. So that will have to be turned off" said Two as he yawned again.  
  
"Spoilsport" murmured One  
  
"I heard that."  
  
Two grabbed the remote from his twin and switched the TV off. He then proceeded over to the bed by the window and shut the curtains. He pulled his coat off and folded it neatly on the wicker chair beside him.  
  
The rest of the clothes quickly followed. He slid his shirt smoothly off his back, exposing perfect silver skin to the warm beams of the bedside lights. The glow of the lamps enhanced the outlines of his muscular physique and cast a golden sheen over his silver dreadlocks.  
  
His legs too were smooth and unblemished, and his trousers flowed like water down them until they rested in ripples at his ankles. Climbing into bed he reached over and turned out his light. The only light now in the room was One's.  
  
"Aren't you getting undressed?" asked Two.  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm thinking."  
  
Two glanced over at his brother. He was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" questioned Two.  
  
"The girl"  
  
"Oh get over it. She's only a weather reporter!"  
  
"No. I mean Estelle."  
  
"Oh" said Two in surprise, propping himself up on an elbow "What's bothering you?"  
  
"Why do we keep slipping up?" said One "She just slips through our fingers like water, everytime we get close. We've never had this problem before, not to this extent. She's just a girl, Two. Just a young, defenceless girl. I just don't see how this happened."  
  
"Is that all that's bothering you?" Two resisted the urge to grin "So she's playing hard to get. So what? Why does it matter?"  
  
"It's not just that" sighed One.  
  
"Well what then?" asked Two curiously  
  
"She is like us, what we used to be."  
  
"What do you mean?" Two was getting more confused by the second.  
  
"I see my life, our lives with the Merovingian mirrored in hers. I think that's why this happened. That's why I can't bring myself to kill her. Don't you see Two? She is too much like us." 


	15. Brotherly Bonds

Before I begin, I would like to thank all those who have reviewed. 53 reviews so far for only 15 chapters! *sniffles* I feel faint! All your reviews are appreciated and I take into account all points that are made. So again, many thanks.  
  
~Kit19~ Aha! Poor twins indeed! However, I never said they "can't" kill her physically. Poor twins! I'm so mean! People keep saying that Two is getting picked on and I truly didn't realise I was doing it to him! Poor Two! I don't know why, but even though the twins are the same age, I've always personally thought of Two as being the younger one. Maybe that's why he seems to get picked on.  
  
~Triality~ Thank you *bows* I have to admit, that part is one of my personal favourites in that chapter.  
  
~Bry~ Yup. Never, ever gets to. Not in my story anyway! Thanks! =D  
  
~Magician4563~ No probs. Glad you like the story. *smiles*  
  
~Rinturien~ All twins? As in Elladan+Elrohir, Rumil+Orophin? Etc etc? I've found another LOTR twin fan! (I hope!) Thanks and er..good luck with your Spanish *lols*  
  
~Kyrillia~ Two? Yup. Hmmm *thinks* You just gave me an idea.... It is always a pleasure to be visited by such a brilliant author *bows* Hope Twilight is going well. -hint hint!-  
  
~Freya~ *sniggers* The goldfish were fun to write so I'm glad you enjoyed that part. Thanks :)  
  
~ Heather~ Thank you for saying so. If someone dislikes something in the story, I'd rather they tell me than not. Constructive criticism is fine but flames are only helpful when toasting marshmallows!  
  
~ Sobaka~ Ooops! Thanks for pointing that out.  
  
~*To all those that didn't get a mention personally, I want you to know that I still appreciate all the reviews I get. Infact, I'm stunned with the amount of feedback that this has received. *hands out a sherbet strawberry to every reviewer* If you want a sherbet strawberry, you know what to do! On with the story.*~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
*-Chapter 15 ~ Brotherly Bonds-*  
  
One looked frantically around. There was no one about on the streets and his brother was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Two!" he yelled telepathically "Two! Where are you?"  
  
He ran up and down the streets and side-streets, lanes and alleyways until he suddenly heard the screaming of sirens. He followed the noise getting louder and louder and he quickened his pace. All the time he was calling to his brother. Sending out a life-line for his twin to grab on to. The screaming got louder. Louder. Louder. Suddenly the air was filled with the stench of smoke and burning rubber. People were running amok. Women were screaming. Children were crying. Men were shouting. The blasting of police whistles shrilled through the polluted air.  
  
There was debris littering the road. One's eyes fell on the cause of the chaos. Right in the middle of the road was a heap of smouldering rubble that once resembled a blue Mondeo.  
  
Flames licked at the metal of the car. Dense, black smoke was rising from the interior. The stench was unbearable and One had to pinch his nose to prevent himself from gagging, the smell was that overpowering.  
  
Suddenly he heard a telepathic cry for help inside his head.  
  
"Two?"  
  
One ran forward into the road only to find himself confronted by a burly French policeman.  
  
"My brother is in there!" he cried "Let me pass!"  
  
But the policeman held onto him, refusing to let go. The anguished pleas of his twin filled One's head once more and he was overcome with a terrible rage. He phased through the policeman's arm causing the onlookers to enter new levels of hysteria. He dashed towards the burning car. His brother's cries growing ever more urgent inside his head.  
  
Once at the car, he didn't know where to start. He phased again so the flames wouldn't be able to touch him. Once he was in his ghost form, he entered the car through the locked doors. What he saw made him sick with fear.  
  
In the driver's seat, his brother was strapped in by his seat-belt. He too was in ghost form but wasn't moving out of the car.  
  
"Two" One coughed "Get out!"  
  
"I can't" came the telepathic reply. "I'm stuck fast inside this belt."  
  
Helplessness and hopelessness gripped One like an iron fist, unwilling to let go.  
  
"You must be able to get out" he spluttered.  
  
"I told you. It won't budge."  
  
Suddenly One's eyes fell on the woman in the back seat, also stuck by her belt.  
  
"Estelle?"  
  
There was no reply.  
  
"I can't-keep-this up-much-longer" panted Two.  
  
"Try. You have to try" sobbed One.  
  
Two took off his charred sunglasses and gave One a hopeless look. In his eyes, One could see something he had never believed it possible for his brother to feel. Fear was reflected within his eyes.  
  
"Go"  
  
"What?" One was stunned.  
  
"Leave me here."  
  
"Never. I'm not leaving you here to die!"  
  
Two phased back into solid form and gripped One's arm.  
  
"If you stay here. We both die. If you go. One of us will live."  
  
One gazed at his brother and a crystal tear rolled down his cheek.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"You can and you must."  
  
One flung himself on his brother and held him tight. He let the tears flow freely down his cheeks.  
  
"I don't want you to go" he sobbed.  
  
"There is no other choice" replied Two. He glanced into the back seat. "We did what the Mero said and it's time to move on."  
  
One reluctantly pulled away from his brother, tears still coursing down his face.  
  
"I'll always be with you, my brother" Two sighed, leant forward as far as he could go and kissed his twin on the cheek.  
  
"Go."  
  
One phased and swiftly exited the car.  
  
He stood on the sidewalk, gazing at the chaos before him. He could not believe what he had just done. He had abandoned his brother. His own twin. He was a failure to his own brother. Telepathically he spoke words of comfort to Two. Words of reassurance came back. Suddenly, there was a noise like a gunshot and the flames took on new life. They roared up high, towering over the car.  
  
"Two!" One yelled both out loud and through his head.  
  
"My brother" came the quiet reply. "I will always be with you."  
  
There was a deafening bang as the empowering heat reached the engine and suddenly the whole car exploded into a thousand pieces. Metal and debris flew sky-high. The flames devouring all that lay before them.  
  
One attempted a link.  
  
No reply.  
  
He tried again.  
  
And again.  
  
And again.  
  
But there was no-one there anymore. . . .  
  
One felt himself collapse to the ground and his head struck stone with a sickening crack.  
  
He looked up.  
  
Stairs?  
  
He stood up and looked around.  
  
He was still in the hotel.  
  
Two?  
  
Panic gripped him and he ran back into the bedroom.  
  
Two was sitting in a chair by the window, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
  
"I never knew you sleepwalk!"  
  
One gazed at his brother and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Beads of sweat trickled down his face but he took no heed to them.  
  
"I was afraid you were dead."  
  
Two looked stunned.  
  
"Dead?"  
  
"I just had a nightmare."  
  
"Well. You're awake now. I'm alive and its only four in the morning!"  
  
"Four?"  
  
"Yes." Two said with an amused grin. "You know, it's really very entertaining watching you sleepwalk. I lost count of the times you crashed into the wall and I think you might have woken up the neighbours too. Honestly, you should film yourself sometime!"  
  
"I pleased you find this so funny." One scowled. "I thought you were dead!"  
  
"Stop fretting. You'll get me in a state as well soon and that's not the mood to be in so early in the morning. Especially when there are croissants on the menu. I can never be agitated whilst eating croissants. The butter would get on my cuffs!"  
  
"How can you think of food this early?"  
  
"Very easily."  
  
Two handed One a small laminated piece of paper.  
  
"Take a look at the menu."  
  
One squinted down at the menu presented to him.  
  
"Saucisses, lard, champignons et oeufs. Pain grillé avec confiture. Café, thé ou choix des jus. Six Euro. Céréale, Pain grillé avec confiture, choix de fromage et pâtisserie. Café, thé ou choix des jus. Trois Euro. Croissants. Une croissant pour une Euro. Panier de quatre pour deux Euro. "  
  
Two looked at One's bemused expression.  
  
"And?" Two prompted.  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
"You idiot!" Two sighed "Look at the bottom of the card"  
  
"Oh!" exclaimed One "Sausages, bacon, mushrooms and eggs. Toast with jam. Coffee, Tea or a choice of juices. Six Euros. Cereal, Toast and Jam, choice of cheeses and cakes. Coffee, tea or a choice of juice. Three Euros. Croissants. One croissant for one Euro. A basket of four for two Euros."  
  
Two shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"You really are a prize idiot sometimes, One. Didn't anyone ever tell you to always read the small print?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Remind me to thank you." Two suddenly said as they wandered towards Notre Dame.  
  
"What for?" asked One.  
  
"For respecting my wishes to be able to eat croissants properly."  
  
"I'll stick it in my to-do list" said One sarcastically.  
  
"Good."  
  
The early morning hustle and bustle of Parisian life was beginning to get underway. Parents ferried their children elsewhere, people were out early to get their freshly baked bread from the boulangerie and a small market was being set up in the middle of the square.  
  
"I have a question." One suddenly piped up.  
  
Two wasn't listening. A woman with a freshly baked baguette tucked under her arm, had just strolled past. Unfortunately, Two had caught the smell of the warm Parisian loaf and his attention had drifted back to his stomach. One nudged his brother hard in the ribs which brought him swiftly back to earth.  
  
"What was that for?" said Two in outrage.  
  
"Look. Shouldn't we be looking for the girl? I mean, it's all very well you stuffing your fa-"  
  
"Excuse me?" interrupted Two "I don't recall you saying 'non, merci' to second helpings of bacon and eggs this morning!"  
  
"That's beside the point. We were given an assignment to complete and we're not exactly hurrying to do it, are we?"  
  
Two cleared his throat.  
  
"What day is it?"  
  
"Sunday"  
  
"Exactly. All the business' are shut on Sundays. So Estelle will not be going there."  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"I know everything" said Two smugly  
  
"I will have to see the 'fermé' sign with my own eyes."  
  
"Fine." Two grabbed his brother's arm and led him across the square until they arrived outside a large white building with peeling gold letters above the door.  
  
'Bureau De Crime Et De Fraude'  
  
"Look at the door" said Two.  
  
One moved his eyes downwards to where a small white card was stuck on the inside.  
  
'FERMÉ LE DIMANCHE'  
  
"Right. You've made your point" said One. "What do you suggest we do now?"  
  
Two laid a hand on his twin's shoulder.  
  
"Brother. We have the whole of Paris at our feet. For one day only, this city of romance and chocolate is our oyster. We will enjoy it while the day lasts."  
  
"You sound like an advertiser" grinned One.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay. So we've done all the shops in this area, what now?"  
  
One looked at his brother.  
  
"What about the Mona Lisa?" One suggested  
  
"No. Anything but that. That's another thing I don't understand about humans. They stand for ages, analysing a picture when they could be doing so many other useful things."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I don't know but there is always something more exciting than staring at a painting of some woman painted by some guy who no-one really cared about till after he died."  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
They continued along the pavement by the Seine, trying and failing to think of what to do next.  
  
"Notre Dame?" Two proposed.  
  
"Did you see the queue?" said One "We'd have to leave for closing time as soon as we got in, the queue was that long!"  
  
"Well, what are we going to do then?"  
  
"Messieurs!" A shout sounded from behind them. "Excusez-moi? Messieurs!"  
  
The twins turned around and saw a thin man with an equally thin moustache half running towards them. He was dressed in a business suit and had the overall appearance of an aristocratic butler.  
  
"Oui?" said One in a French accent.  
  
"Pardonnez-moi Messieurs, mais êtes-vous des amis du Merovingian?"  
  
One looked startled and turned to his twin who looked equally surprised. "Right. My French isn't that good but I swear he just said 'Merovingian'"  
  
"You English?" said the man.  
  
"Oui. You speak English?" said Two in relief  
  
"Little" replied the man, gesturing with his hand.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Two  
  
"I help you."  
  
"How?" asked One. "How do you know the Merovingian?"  
  
"Come" said the man leading them to a café over the road. "We talk here. Is nice and comfortable. Easy to tell you things."  
  
The twins and the man sat round a small plastic table. Almost immediately a waiter appeared complete with tuxedo and notepad.  
  
"Êtes-vous prêt à passer commande?" he asked  
  
"What did he say?" asked One  
  
"He wants know if you want order" said the man.  
  
"No. We're fine."  
  
"Non merci, pour le moment. Cinq minutes" said the man to the waiter.  
  
"D'accord" replied the waiter, and walked off.   
  
The twins turned back to the man who wore a very neutral expression.  
  
"You know Merovingian?"  
  
"Yes. We do" replied One.  
  
"Then I find you at last. I know your reason for being here. I help you find her."  
  
"How can we be sure you are not bluffing?" Two looked suspicious.  
  
"Luc never bluff. Luc good and honest."  
  
"Is that your name?"  
  
"My name? Oh, oui! Je m'appelle Luc. Luc Dubois."  
  
"He's not bluffing, Two." One said.  
  
"How do you know?" Two said. "We have never met the guy before in our lives. It could be a set up."  
  
"No. I remember the Merovingian saying something about the Dubois' and their son, Luc. It can't be a coincidence."  
  
The man looked at the twins talking telepathically together and began to fidget. It was obvious he was nervous. His moustache quivered as the twin continued their silent conversation.  
  
Two sighed. "Alright. But if anything looks slightly suspicious then we kill him. Okay?"  
  
"Fine" replied One silently.  
  
They retuned to vocal speech and the man looked less nervous for it.  
  
"Okay. One chance and-"  
  
"-one chance only" they said alternately.  
  
"I cannot tell you all. I can help you though. I am colleague of le Merovingian. The girl you are looking for I do not know her exact whereabouts. But this help you find one who does."  
  
Luc pulled a business card out of his pocket and handed it to the twins.  
  
One looked at it closely. It appeared to be genuine.  
  
"I afraid that is all I give you."  
  
"If that is all you can tell us then we will say goodbye."  
  
The twins stood up and looked down at Luc.  
  
"Merci" said Two.  
  
Luc nodded to them and in a swirl of silver, they were gone.  
  
~*A/N*~ *collapses* That is the longest chapter I have EVER wrote. It took me about five hours of working and re-working this to get it the way I wanted. Hope you enjoyed it. 


	16. Citron Bleu

Chapter 16~ Citron Bleu  
  
"Citron Bleu?" said Two slightly puzzled.  
  
"That's what the card says" replied One, looking down at the tiny business card Luc had given them.  
  
"He sent us to a nightclub? How are we supposed to even speak to anyone in here, let alone find out where the girl is?"  
  
"He must know someone or he wouldn't have given us this" said One, gesturing at the card.  
  
"Alright but remember what we agreed. If this goes pear-shaped, we find him and give our blades some exercise!"  
  
"Yes. I know." One nodded "Come on then."  
  
Citron Bleu. The nightclub and bar that the Parisians fell back on when everywhere else was full. Although some after a few drinks elsewhere, some would fall back on the cheaper bar. Literally.  
  
They made their way over to the bar, always keeping an eye open for anyone that looked remotely Mero-employed.  
  
"Hello boys. What can I get you?"  
  
A voice sounded from the other side of the bar and the twins looked up. A curvy sort of woman in a blue mini-skirt and a black top looked inquiringly at them.  
  
"You speak English?"  
  
"Yeah. I am English. Moved over here about a year ago. You get all sorts in here. Tourists mainly, but the locals do pop in from time to time. Course I knew you two were English right from the moment you walked through that door."  
  
"How?" asked Two  
  
"How could you not be? Only the English brush up so nicely for a night on the town." She ran her eyes up and down One's silver trenchcoat and shirt. "Yes indeed. Very nice."  
  
"You don't look too bad yourself" One purred  
  
Two coughed smartly. "Just two vodkas then."  
  
"No problem." The woman winked and disappeared the other side of the bar.  
  
Two raised an eyebrow. "You just can't help yourself can you?"  
  
"What?" One looked decidedly smug.  
  
"You flirt too much, that's your trouble."  
  
"Can I help it if women find me irresistible?" One lowered his sunglasses slightly and grinned at Two who suddenly looked quite disturbed.  
  
"Don't look at me like that"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just-Just don't."  
  
"Fine" One pushed his sunglasses back up his nose and turned away from Two.  
  
Two looked over his brother's shoulder.  
  
"Typical" he said telepathically "Completely typical!" One was currently engaged in light conversation with a young American brunette in a red dress.  
  
"Hey. It's not my fault I was created with such exquisite features!" came the telepathic reply.  
  
Now all hope of intelligent conversation had evaporated, Two decided to examine the back of a matchbox. You never quite knew what interesting vocabulary you could pick up off a foreign matchbox. Suddenly he grinned and tapped his brother on the shoulder.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Hold that" Two handed his brother an ashtray. Two grinned at One's confused expression.  
  
"Now walk over to that man in the corner, smoking, tap him on the shoulder and hand him the ashtray."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's called being a good citizen"  
  
"But I'm not a-"  
  
"You are for tonight. Now go on." Two leaned forward and whispered in his brother's ear. "If he takes the ashtray from you then I will set you up with that bar-maid!"  
  
One raised an eyebrow, smirked and nodded.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Two leaned back against the bar, grinning from ear to ear. The American looked at Two's unusually happy face.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Just watch" he replied, still smirking.  
  
One looked inquiringly over at his brother who, he noticed, was looking too happy for his own good. Something was definitely up but he couldn't see the slightest thing wrong with handing someone an ashtray.  
  
However, before he reached the man, the man himself turned round apparently ready to greet One. However he looked down at the glass ashtray One was carrying and leapt up with a cry. He then proceeded the shield the woman next to him and begun to shout at One in extremely fast French.  
  
"Obtenez loin de nous ! Allez ! Pas vous touchez mon épouse ! Si vous venez n'importe quel plus étroit j'appellerai la police ! Partez ! " *  
  
"What?" One looked over at his brother who was now laughing so hard he was holding onto the bar for support. One scowled and put the ashtray on the table. Unfortunately the woman now got hysterical and shrieked.  
  
"Pierre! Oh Pierre!" Aidez-moi ! "  
  
One was suddenly aware that the whole room had gone silent. Apart from the woman's screams that is. Everyone's eyes were fixed on him and some were even shaking their heads in shock.  
  
"Two?" said One weakly "Explain what is going on."  
  
Two made a failed attempt to hide a smirk and threw his brother the matchbox.  
  
One read the small paragraph on the back of the small box and still looked as confused as ever.  
  
'À Paris, un cendrier est considéré comme une arme mortelle' it said.  
  
"What?" One looked up at his brother who promptly sighed. "Roughly translated, dear brother. It means 'In Paris an ashtray is considered to be a deadly weapon'!"  
  
One dropped the matchbox.  
  
"What kind of a stupid law is that?" One scowled. He walked over to his brother. "Let's go"  
  
"Go?" Two looked mortified "But what about the drinks?"  
  
One's lips got, if possible, even thinner.  
  
"Right. I'm coming." Two grabbed his coat and the pair exited the bar, followed by the accusing stares of the crowd behind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You have got a deranged sense of humour, Two" One sighed.  
  
"Thank you. Nice to know I have useful qualities"  
  
"Don't you even care that I was just made a mockery out of?" One pouted.  
  
"No. Not really. I mean, as you said. What kind of a law is that anyway?"  
  
The pair stood in silence then suddenly, One began to laugh.  
  
"An ashtray!" he smirked "Couldn't they have thought of something a bit more interesting to 'be considered a deadly weapon'!"  
  
"Hey! Cut them some slack. You know what the Mero's like"  
  
"Yes. He likes to keep things simple."  
  
They continued along the thread of their boss for a while as they wandered by the banks of the Seine. Finally they came to a bench with one woman sitting there, staring out at the water.  
  
Two bent down.  
  
"Excusez-moi. Pourriez vous vous déplacer à votre manteau?" **  
  
The woman looked up. Then screamed and bolted, leaving her coat behind.  
  
"I don't believe it!" Two cried.  
  
"Start believing it!" yelled One "Come on!"  
  
They followed the woman down the streets, both running at the same pace with her a little way ahead of them.  
  
"You can't say that miracles don't happen!" shouted Two to his brother.  
  
"Just get the girl!" One yelled back.  
  
Suddenly the woman veered off into a cobbled side street filled with cardboard boxes and other such waste from the restaurant on the left. Taking care not to skid on the damp boxes, the woman continued her plight for freedom. The twins however, kept their balance over the waste perfectly and with each stride they got a little closer.  
  
Then just as they were almost on her the narrow street ended and came out onto a main road. She didn't stop to look for oncoming traffic. Dashing out into the road she made a last desperate bid for escape just before One could grab her. The sound of car horns filled the night air but the woman reached the other side without a scratch.  
  
"Come on! Stop standing around!" One shouted to Two. The pair flew across the road and phased through the body of a car just before it could hit them. Once on the other side, they noticed again that the girl was several yards ahead again.  
  
"Oh great!" One cried as the woman waved down a black car and almost fell into the back seat.  
  
"No problem. She's just made the biggest mistake of her short life!" Two smirked at his brother. "Remember the airport?"  
  
One nodded and stepped out into the road just as the car reached the place where he was standing. Mimicking the incident at Parisian arrivals he phased into the passenger seat receiving two responses. A shout of fright from the driver and a shriek form the woman in the back.  
  
One looked at the man who promptly began to yell again. "Excuse me, monsieur but duty has to be performed." One took of the man's hair, pulled his head backwards and dealt a swift slice to his thin neck. Blood seeped out from the deep wound and opening the door, One shoved the man's lifeless body out into the road. He grabbed the steering wheel and regained control of the car before moving across into the driver's seat. Before doing anything else he locked the whole car with a button at the front. Doors, windows and all. The woman in the back tried frantically to get her door open but it was locked tight.  
  
"Sit back" said One from the front "There's no way out, so you may as well enjoy the ride."  
  
He reversed back and soon Two appeared in the second back seat next to the woman. He ran a finger down her pale cheek causing her to recoil in fear, and smirked.  
  
"Miss Croft" he purred "We meet again."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
* = "Get away from us! Don't you touch my wife! If you come any closer I will call the police. Leave!"  
  
** = " Excuse me. Could you move your coat?" 


	17. Wildfire

~* Chapter 17 ~ Wildfire *~  
  
If any of the hotel staff or guests had chanced a glance out of a window, all they would see is what appeared to be two young lovers and a brother stepping out of a car parked just outside reception, and thought no more of it.  
  
"Just you keep your mouth shut" Two warned Estelle as he wrapped his arm round her shoulders.  
  
Estelle gazed with frightened eyes at the albino against her hips. Obediently, she walked forward into the reception of the hotel with One following close behind.  
  
"Ah monsieurs!" The receptionist beamed as the twins entered. "Room seventeen, was it not?"  
  
"Yes." Two said plainly as the receptionist handed him the key.  
  
"But who is zis? I am sorry monsieurs, but our policy about 'night company'."  
  
"This is our sister." Two pretended to look offended while One and Estelle followed suit.  
  
"Oh, excuse-moi! I am most sorry. I not realise she is your sister."  
  
Two nodded  
  
"Apology accepted."  
  
"Is there anything I can get for you?" the receptionist put on his irritating grin again.  
  
"Just some privacy, thank you."  
  
"Of course, monsieurs. I shall make sure you are not disturbed."  
  
The receptionist walked hurriedly off into the main restaurant where the kitchen staff were preparing the tables for the morning.  
  
~*~  
  
"That was close" said Two sharply as they entered their room. "Too close."  
  
"What are you worried about? The guy said he'd leave us alone didn't he?"  
  
"Yes. Just thank your luck neither of you blew it."  
  
Two turned to Estelle.  
  
"It's just you and us now, love. Sit."  
  
Estelle sat nervously down on the single bed, the colour draining from her face.  
  
"Lock the door and windows, One" Two said, throwing his brother the keys.  
  
For a moment, Two just stared at the pale, quivering young woman now seated on his bed. Finally, Estelle spoke in a quavering voice so unlike her own, confident speech.  
  
"What do you plan to do with me?"  
  
Two took a long breath before he replied.  
  
"Under normal circumstances, you would be dead as soon as we got you in the car."  
  
"However" continued One, coming to his brother's side "You are not a normal circumstance for us".  
  
"Now, we are going to ask you a couple of questions, and it is in your interest not to lie. Trust us, if you lie, we will know" said Two, a bite of danger in his voice.  
  
"Firstly. Why are you in Paris?"  
  
Estelle looked up at the twins, glaring down at her from behind their glasses. "I am here on business"  
  
"What kind of business?"  
  
"It's private"  
  
"Not here it's not." Two's voice became more cold as Estelle glared up at him, stubborn in what she would reveal.  
  
"Tell us"  
  
"No"  
  
Quick as a flash, Estelle felt cold, sharp metal against her neck. No sooner had she uttered her second refusal, One's blade had flew to her throat.  
  
"You will answer our questions. Or trust me, your neck shall feel the bite of my blade" One whispered, his nose inches from Estelle's face.  
  
Estelle gulped and then she nodded. One removed the blade. "Last chance" he said.  
  
Just as before, Estelle swallowed hard before giving her answer.  
  
"I am here on business regarding the Merovingian. As you know, I have information about your boss that the courts would be most interested in. I was planning to go today, but the bureau was shut. So I rescheduled for tomorrow and that is when you two caught me."  
  
"Why were you beside the river when we found you?"  
  
"I was just thinking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Whether I was making the right choice. I knew I wanted the Merovingian to be brought down and all his associated with him, but I didn't know if it would make the situation harder for me."  
  
"Why would it?" asked One  
  
"Why? If they had judged in his favour, then I would be damn well worse off!"  
  
The twins looked at each other, and then One continued.  
  
"Is that what you were planning to do? Uncover the Merovingian and get him turned in?" One managed a hollow laugh "I would have thought you knew him better than that."  
  
"What do you mean?" Estelle said, surprised by One's revelation.  
  
"He covers his own back wherever he goes. He can bend people to his will. There was not even a snowball's chance in hell you could have been successful."  
  
"You don't know that!"  
  
"Believe me, I do."  
  
Estelle stared agape at One's stern, cold face then to Two's equally icy gaze and back to One's again. A tear rolled down her cheek and she fell silent.  
  
Two turned to his brother and motioned him over to the window.  
  
"We've got all we can out of her, One. She clearly can't tell us any more, nothing of any value at any rate."  
  
"I agree, Two, but what now?"  
  
"I think you know the answer to that." Two raised an eyebrow.  
  
The twins walked back over to the bed where Estelle was sitting bunched up, silently sobbing.  
  
Two was about to reach inside his coat for his blade when he stopped.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
Estelle looked up, tears still coursing down her cheeks. "W-What?"  
  
Two didn't reply. Instead in one swift movement he pulled Estelle's coat from her shoulders before she could make a grab for it.  
  
"What are you doing?" Estelle made a frantic grab for the coat but Two held it out of reach. He dove inside the inside pocket and pulled out a large brown envelope, then threw the coat back to Estelle who caught it and clung to it as though it was her newborn child.  
  
"What's this?" Two inquired.  
  
Estelle remained silent but she grew, if possible, even paler.  
  
"I'll find out for myself then". Two ripped open the envelope and pulled out a significant wad of documents. He scanned the first few pages, eyes widening as he read further.  
  
"This is what you were planning to use against him?" Two looked at Estelle, a surprised expression playing over his lips.  
  
"Yes." Estelle murmured.  
  
"In that case, we better get rid of these."  
  
Estelle leapt up from the bed and grabbed widely at the papers. One shoved her roughly back down upon the bed and held her still.  
  
"Even I had no idea of his business to this extent" said Two "Indeed, had I not found this, you may have had a small chance of doing some damage to the Merovingian with this kind of information."  
  
With that, he fumbled around inside his pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a small, silver lighter. Upon the bed, Estelle struggled frantically against One's strong grip. Suddenly she let out a shrill scream. Following this outburst, two things happened simultaneously. Two stunned by her scream, dropped the lighter and One shoved Estelle onto her back and covered her mouth.  
  
"Try that again, and I'll cover more than your mouth" his voice falling like callous silk upon her ears.  
  
Estelle stared at the albino, kneeling over her. Fear like she'd never felt in her life, surged through her veins. He was in control now and she was powerless to stop him. As thoughts of what could happen floated across her mind, she shivered underneath One's hand, still clamped firmly over her mouth.  
  
Two looked over to make sure that One had Estelle under control and then picked up his lighter. Luckily, no one had heeded her scream for One had acted too quickly for anyone to do so.  
  
As he flicked the lighter open and lit a spark onto the papers, he heard Estelle whimper slightly as she witnessed her last lifeline falling into ashes upon the pale carpet as the flickering flames devoured the paper like a starving creature, unrelenting in its quest for nourishment. As the flames neared the last corner between Two's finger and thumb, he let go, letting the tiny burning ball fall to the floor, before deftly stamping out the flames with his foot.  
  
He looked up and saw One still kneeling over Estelle's shaking form, his hand still covering her mouth. As he stared at her, lying there, so fragile and defenceless, various thoughts of turning the situation even more to his advantage entered his mind and he felt a slight stirring in his loins. But he banished these thoughts from his mind before they could get a good grip, and forced himself to concentrate on the reason they had brought her here in the first place.  
  
Suddenly a shrill sound echoed through the silent room as the phone beside Two's bed began to ring. The twins looked up at each other.  
  
"Answer it then" hissed One.  
  
Two hurried over to the phone and picked up the receiver.  
  
"Hello, is that Mr Twine?" The woman's voice asked.  
  
"Yes" replied Two  
  
"I would like to inform you that a Monsieur Merovingian is here to see you sir. He's on his way up now." 


	18. Patience is a Virtue

A/N: This is the final chapter. I would like to thank all those who have reviewed this story, all your kind words and comments are greatly appreciated. I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it and my best wishes to all.  
  
Again, many thanks.  
  
Namarie.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 18~ Patience is a Virtue  
  
~*~  
  
Two's face went, if possible, even paler. With a shaking hand, he replaced the receiver and stared at it as though it was about to spring at him.  
  
"What is it?" One asked, concerned by his brother's reaction.  
  
"He's here" Two said in a quiet voice, still transfixed by the telephone.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The Merovingian. He's here now".  
  
"What?" One's face too drained of all possible colour and he bit his lip hard. So hard infact that his bottom lip began to bleed.  
  
Upon hearing this revelation, Estelle began to struggle again and she would have succeeded, had One not come to his senses quickly. The thought that their boss was coming now made them feel almost sick with fear. He had never done this before. Never. He always let them get on with their job. Why was this time any different?  
  
Suddenly, Two's eyes widened.  
  
"One?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Remember what the Merovingian said to us, before we left?"  
  
One looked up at his twin, confusion written all over his face.  
  
"No. What?"  
  
"He said 'If, by the time you return, she is not dead. Well, you know what will happen'. Remember, he said he wanted the job done in one night. Not two days."  
  
"So you're saying-"  
  
"That must be why he has come. To do the job himself".  
  
A ringing silence fell on the bedroom, only slightly broken by Estelle's whimpering as One still held a hand over her mouth. Suddenly, light footsteps were heard from somewhere on the staircase. Maybe a floor below. The twins instinctively stared at the door, every minute getting more and more concerned. The footsteps grew louder until they were right outside the door.  
  
Knock, Knock!  
  
The twins nearly jumped out of their skins. In past experiences, the Merovingian did not wait for the door to be opened. He ordinarily marched straight in to whatever room he wished, be it occupied or not. The twins exchanged worried and confused expressions and Two slowly began to make his way forward to the door.  
  
Each step he took, reminded him that there was only a block of mahogany between him and almost certain death. Or worse. His hand reached for the brass doorknob and slowly opened the door.  
  
For a brief moment, One and his boss just stared at each other, each one unsure of what the other was about to do. One took the opportunity as it was laid to him on a silver platter and smiled slightly at the Merovingian in an attempt to save whatever he had left of his life. He knew, once the Merovingian wanted someone dead, there was nothing they could do about it. They could run but they would be caught. They could scream but they would be silenced. No one had ever survived once he decided to kill them. No one, save one.  
  
"Please, come in" he opened the door wider and his boss stepped over the threshold.  
  
One looked up as they entered, hiding his fear completely as he nodded politely at his boss.  
  
"Ah. My two loyal henchmen, good to see you. Although I can see ze plan did not go quite according to my will." The Merovingian raised a brow and looked down at the bed where Estelle was still pinned by One's iron grip. "Well, no matter. You can finish the job here, in front of my own eyes."  
  
The twins looked at each other and were about to pull out their blades when a frantic, high-pitched voice sounded from the bed.  
  
"You wouldn't dare. I have friends and family back home. If I'm not back tomorrow they'll be worried about me. They'll come looking" Estelle said all this very fast, almost as though she was dangling over the edge of a cliff and her only chance was to plead with those she would much rather send to their graves. The Merovingian approached the bed slowly, a grin spreading across his face as he read the fear in her eyes. One's eyes followed his boss' progress as he reached Estelle's immobile form. He knew better than to speak. The Merovingian reached down and ran his finger along her cheek causing Estelle to recoil in horror and revulsion.  
  
"How very interesting, mon cherie. 'Owever, you are incorrect. You have no family, at least, you 'ave no family since zis morning."  
  
Estelle blanched and her eyes grew wide in panic.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Let us just say you need not worry about buying your nephew his second birthday gift, your brother in law, his thirty-first, or your sister, her twenty-ninth" The effect of this sentence was incredible. Bolts of terror shot through Estelle's veins and she reacted. She struggled against One's clutch as a fox would if it were trapped in a hunter's snare.  
  
"Y-You killed them?"  
  
The Merovingian smiled at the rapid response he was receiving. He chuckled, almost sadistically.  
  
"Une point! You are catching on quick, cherie."  
  
Estelle fell silent and she swallowed hard, determined not to show her feelings. Determined not to cry in front of him. Finally, she spoke up again, a note of fury in her tiny voice.  
  
"You had no reason. She was never involved in anything."  
  
The twins chanced a glance at their boss, noticing that he was quite calm about the situation. Maybe they would get out alive. Maybe, just maybe. Then the Merovingian spoke again, this time in an even softer voice  
  
"Ah. But you see I could not leave anyone around. Non, impossible. It was easier to eliminate you all.  
  
"All?"  
  
"Oui. Three down, one to go"  
  
New fear awoke in Estelle as the Merovingian uttered those words. The twins looked up at their boss, each awaiting the next syllable to fall. In that split second, One loosened his grip slightly on Estelle. However, that was all it took for Estelle to snatch her chance. Leaping up from the bed, she made a frantic dash for the door. Upon seeing his prey making a bid for freedom, the Merovingian acted immediately.  
  
He reached the door just before Estelle could fling herself out of the room. Grabbing her wrists, he thrust her against the wall causing several items to topple off the shelves. Despite her frantic efforts to loosen his grip on her, Estelle quickly discovered that she was again, trapped.  
  
"I would 'ave thought zat you had learnt your lesson, cherie" he hissed in a dangerous voice. Seeing the fear in her eyes, he bent even closer to her shaking form and whispered in her ear. "Now. You 'ave no choice. You will see your family soon, cherie. Oui. Very soon."  
  
But the fire in her heart had not yet burnt out. Still struggling against her captor, Estelle fought against her former boss. But he only tightened his grip on her, causing both her wrists to go cold and numb. "But why?" was all she could muster as the tears of repressed pain and anguish made their first appearance.  
  
The Merovingian turned to face the twins and smirked as he held Estelle even tighter. "It is so touching ze way humans react to a zimple elimination, don't you agree you two?"  
  
At a loss for words, the twins only nodded to show their apparent agreement.  
  
The Merovingian turned back to his prey, staring down at her with ravenous eyes that longed for her destruction.  
  
"You two" he called to the twins again "Lock the door".  
  
One got up from the bed and grabbing the keys from the bedside table, he moved past where his boss and Estelle were standing and locked the door, shooting a contemptuous glance at Estelle as he went. Satisfied, the Merovingian faced Estelle yet again and in a low voice that was almost a purr he murmured into her ear.  
  
"There is another way, mon cherie"  
  
Estelle's damp eyes widened as this proposal was trickled into her consciousness, and yet the Merovingian did not remove his head from its current position beside her cheek. His hot breath made the hairs on the back of Estelle's neck stand on end and she shivered at the mere thought of what he may be suggesting.  
  
Staring stubbornly forward she replied with a voice laced with malice and loathing. "You are beyond insane. I will never come back with you, never."  
  
From beside her head came the soft reply. "Well you have one thing correct, cherie. You are not coming back with me. I was merely suggesting that you have the choice of who touches you last after this. My henchmen or me." With that, he dealt a soft kiss to Estelle's pale cheek and then released her. Backing away towards the bed as fast as she could, Estelle stared up with wide, frightened eyes at the man now advancing upon her, merciless in his contempt.  
  
'Owever, I am not insane. Not yet. You see I have enough sanity left to know that I really do not want any more of the Croft bloodline left alive, to, shall we say, carry on the family tradition. And now my plan is perfect. Your zister is dead. Your brother-in law is dead. Your parents are dead. Even your nephew is dead. You are alone, cherie. You have no- one. No-one will remember you. So zere is no-one left to question your tragic and sad demise."  
  
Silence reigned over the room as the Merovingian uttered what sounded, to Estelle's ears, he own death sentence. The twins knew better than to move, for if they did anything in their boss' presence, without his permission to do so, they would be at his unforgiving mercy. Having been in the Merovingian's service before, Estelle too knew the code for behaviour in his presence. She desperately searched in her mind for a way out of the situation she was now stranded in, and found none. Her eyes flew to her coat lying discarded and forgotten beside her on the bed. Before anyone could stop her, she reached out for the garment and pulled a small revolver from her inside pocket. It slim and silver, only slightly larger than a novelty lighter. However, it was real and it was most certainly more dangerous than a lighter.  
  
Staring around the room, Estelle knew she had the upper hand. But using the gun on the twins would mean certain death. They would phase and then she would be in an even worse situation than she was now. She could turn it on their boss but then they would still kill her anyway. The slim weapon seemed to provide no way out, save one.  
  
Blinking the last of her tears away, she finally realised her only way out of the situation. Gazing up at her tormentor and former boss, she kept her expression neutral as she uttered her final words to him.  
  
"Yes, I will die. I do not wish to live to see the dawn of a day without anyone to love. I will die, you are correct. But I refuse to die by your diabolical hand. I have more dignity than that."  
  
~*~  
  
Below, in the lobby of the hotel, all the staff and guests looked up in horror as a deafening bang sounded from the floor above. Commotion broke out as the hotel staff rushed to see what had made the noise.  
  
~*~  
  
The twins stared, horror-struck at Estelle's lifeless body upon the bed. Blood flowed from underneath her head, staining the ivory bedcovers a poisonous crimson. At her feet lay the small silver revolver. Upon hearing the fast approaching footsteps, the Merovingian motioned to the twins to stay silent and follow him. Dashing out of the room, he first made sure that his face was arranged into a suitable shocked and horrified expression.  
  
No sooner had he reached the landing, several of the hotel staff came rushing up the stairs.  
  
"Zere was nothing I could do. I just gave 'er ze news about 'er zister and she just shot 'erself." He pointed frantically at the room and then kneeled down, pretending to sob. The staff rushed into the room and a few seconds later, there came various shouts and screams from inside.  
  
"Merde!"  
  
"Prenez la police et une ambulance ici maintenant !"*  
  
The twins looked on, not quite knowing what to say or do. They had killed before. They had seen many deaths before. But never had they witnessed something like this. A young male knelt down beside the Merovingian, fooled by his false tears.  
  
"Is there anyone you would like us to call?"  
  
The Merovingian looked up and only through their years of working for him, could the twins make out the glint of victory reflected in their boss' eyes.  
  
"Non, merci. I will make the call myself."  
  
"I that is your wish, monsieur. The phone is by reception."  
  
"Merci"  
  
The Merovingian got slowly to his feet and motioned again for the twins to follow.  
  
"Monsieur?"  
  
The Merovingian turned back to face the young man.  
  
"Oui?"  
  
"I suggest you stay around here. The police will want to ask you a few questions, I'm sure."  
  
"I will stay then."  
  
The twins knew enough about the Merovingian to know that he was never honest. Most likely he already had a car waiting to pick them up.  
  
"How could you do this? Mon Dieu! My most loyal henchmen. You have failed me. Oh merde!" The Merovingian continued along this thread until they reached the lobby where he silenced himself. He walked straight down to the main doors and out into the Parisian night. Oblivious to the fact it was pouring with rain, the twins got into the car behind their boss, which had been indeed, waiting for them directly outside. Without a backward glance, the car sped off into the night.  
  
Not a word was said between the twins or the Merovingian, only telepathic exchanges were made between the brothers, as they contemplated what he was going to do next,.  
  
Finally, they reached the airport and the Merovingian suddenly spoke up again.  
  
"When we get 'ome, there is someone I wish to discuss with you."  
  
The twins blinked, unaware of what thread their boss was now treading. "Who?" inquired Two.  
  
The Merovingian's lip curled upwards and he replied in an icy voice  
  
"Let us just say that she is an easier assignment."  
  
~*~  
  
Fin  
  
~*~  
  
* = Get the police and an ambulance here now! 


End file.
